Thus he became
a great favourite with the King, who listened with deep interest to
his descriptions of the houseful of beads and buttons to be earned in
England by a little proper management of Tuloo's magic dust. Before
very long it was arranged that as soon as a good supply of Pong could be
collected, Twemlow should be sent back to the coast and placed under
the charge of Bandeliah, who was now a tributary of this great King. And
here he might have waited years and years--for the trading station was
abandoned now--but for the benevolence of Captain Southcombe, who, being
driven to the eastward of his course upon one of his returns from India,
stood in a little further to enquire about his friend, and with no small
pleasure conveyed him home.
CHAPTER LX
NO DANGER, GENTLEMEN
The little dinner at Springhaven Hall, appointed for that same Saturday,
had now grown into a large one. Carne had refused Dolly's offer to get
him an invitation, and for many reasons he was not invited. He ought
to have been glad of this, because he did not want to be there; but his
nature, like a saw's, was full of teeth, and however he was used, he
grated. But without any aid of his teeth, a good dinner, well planned
and well served, bade fair in due course to be well digested also by
forty at least of the forty-two people who sat down to consider it.
For as yet the use of tongue was understood, and it was not allowed to
obstruct by perpetual motion the duties of the palate.
Pages:
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635